Living well in the urban village

One of the World’s Greatest Sandwiches

I didn’t know anything about the author – the now legendary UK food critic Fay Maschler – but I can remember being attracted (unusually for me) to the photo-less format and writing style. Specifically, it was this recipe for “One of the World’s Greatest Sandwiches” that persuaded me buy the book, but until two days ago, I’d never actually made it.

When I was growing up, smoked salmon was an exotic food, which we only ever ate at Christmas parties hosted by my parents’ very hip friends, Bill and Marty. Gorgeous Aunty Marty would lay a whole fish, sliced, on the buffet table, and my sister and I would try to eat as much as we could without anyone noticing.

Big Boy, who has grown up eating smoked salmon in his school sandwiches, was foraging for lunch a couple of days ago, and I decided that it was finally time to try this recipe out. He took a bite and laughed out loud, then tilted his head and said in a slightly surprised tone, “Mum, this is amazing…”

That’s good enough for me.

I don’t usually provide a recipe verbatim, but I’d hate to compromise the tone of Ms Maschler’s writing. So here it is, as written…

‘One of the World’s Greatest Sandwiches’

For each person:

2 slices of hot toast or 1 slice for an open sandwich

butter

smoked salmon

mango chutney

hot, crisp, streaky bacon

cayenne pepper

For each person, lightly butter 1 piece of toast, cover it (thickly) with smoked salmon, spread the salmon (thinly) with chutney, cover the chutney with bacon, sprinkle cayenne pepper on the bacon and surmount with another piece of lightly buttered toast. Equally good as an open sandwich, in which case the single piece of toast should be medium-thick instead of medium-thin.

Wow. Celia, those flavors together are so appealling. I think it’s so great that your boy has such an evolved pallete for his age. My daughter was the same way at that age and now she is in one of the most amazing wine and cuisine jobs. Thanks for the great recipe. It’s always a pleasure stopping by. B:)

Sasha, it’s funny isn’t it? Book was published in 1987, but the recipe apparently pre-dates that. Our bacon comes in strips, but we also have a fat bit at the top, rather than just the streaky bit at the bottom. Our butcher has been making his own from free-range pork!

Beth, thanks! That’s great about your daughter! Big Boy really does have the most particular tastebuds – I love to tell the story about how someone asked him recently if there was anything he didn’t eat (expecting him to say “peas” or “fish”, I guess), and he replied, “sumac”. :)

Deb, it IS unusual. I liked it a lot, but Big Boy really loved it – went and made himself a second one after he’d finished the first!

Honey, Sally, thank you!

Sally, I do think food critics write some fantastic cookbooks – I know Terry Durack’s Yum is one of my favourites. I think that’s because their central focus is taste, and so often the really simple things, cleverly prepared and combined, create the most wonderful flavours.

I don’t think I would have ever have thought to put those ingredients together (& trust me…, I’ve put some pretty weird ingredients together before) but there is something about this one huh.., you look at it and think ‘I’ve got to know what it’d would taste like?’
So, I think I’d be like Big Boy & line up for 2nd’s :)

Anna, I live in Sydney and I only just found out about the fireworks! I don’t think they’re particularly well promoted. It’s only a short display, and nothing like NYE, BUT as I said, it’s rare to be able to get up so close without having to fight the crowds. We always avoid the holiday events – can’t stand the huge crowds. And we were able to sit almost right under them – right on the water’s edge. So much fun!

We’re working on a pound of nova right now – last night we took some leftover rice, and mixed the salmon with seasoned rice vinegar, sesame oil, cucumber bits, minced green onion, s and p, and sprinkled sesame seeds over all – mixed and served over the rice. My daughter, a purist from L.A., thinks it’s a sin to give smoked salmon a Japanese twist, but it always comforts me, so what’s the problem?

I share try your bacon/salmon combo with the next new baked bread out of the oven – sounds like a winner.

Doc, we make nori rolls with smoked salmon and Swiss mayo all the time – love it! Don’t tell your daughter, but we often cook sushi with arborio rice as well – much to the despair of our Japanese friends. :)

I remember those events with the side of smoked salmon, me and my sister were doing the same as you! I think it was far more expensive in those days, don’t think there was any farmed salmon around, so it would all have been wild fish.

Heidi, don’t forget the tiny pinch of cayenne pepper (a good chilli powder would do, and I kept thinking a little chipotle powder might be nice). It makes a difference! :)

Gill, hey, it took me 20 years to get around to trying it..hehe

Jo, my sister and I used to hide the salmon under the other things on our plate, so no-one would notice. The secret was to get a lot the first time without anyone noticing, so you didn’t look like a piggy going back for seconds..and thirds..and fourths..hahaha

Goodness me that looks temptingly good. I will try that with my favorite bread! And I shall quickly overlook the salad less ness of it, after all this looks too good to quibble with! Fireworks pic looks amazing!

I would never have thought to put these two things together, either, but it would give a double hit of the smokey flavour if it is good smoked bacon. The sweetness of the mango chutney would make a great counterpoint, too.
Maybe for lunch today …?

L, absolutely nothing green in the recipe – I think it derives from “men’s clubs” of the 50s, so lots of macho meat only. Fireworks were fabulous – not my pic, though, that one is from the Darling Harbour website.

A, good smokey bacon would be lovely, and the chutney is essential. I actually made it with our chestnut sourdough…

Awesome! I might try this as one of our fancy-pancy finger sandwiches for functions. I love love love a smoked salmon nori roll, and have been known to pile the smoked salmon on my husbands plate at a party knowing he’ll think it’s too much and share it with me.
Glad Big Boy enjoyed it, the laugh would have melted my heart too.